Stamped lock nut



Oct. 2, 1945. H. LE VESCONTE' STAMPED LOCK NUT Filed Dec. 26, 1944 Tia-. am m c/ Ls/vc /wz biz/P04 0 /////////////1I ml( UNA Patented Oct.2.194s

sramrnn LOCK NUT Harold 1. lie Vesconte, Glendale, Calif.', assignor toof ornia el Precision Products Corp., a corporation Application December26, 1944," Serial No. 569,866

, tam. (o1. ss-so) This invention relates to stamped sheet metal nutsfor threadedly engaging bolts, screws and the like and more particularlypertains to nuts of this type wherein aplate-like sheet metal body isformed with resilient portions which are outwardly oflset from the bodyand provided with complementary opposed edge portions constructed andarranged for threadedly and yieldingly eng ging a bolt, screw or likefastening so as to lock" the fastening and nut in place.

Heretofore in this art, particular] in sheet metal nuts in which theoutwardly oflset boltengaging resilient portions of the nut are arrangedin side by side relation either as tongues integral with the plate-likenut body-at one end only or more especially as bridges or archesintegral with the body at both ends, each ofiset portion in ent ety, orsubstantially in entirety, is inclined in ogposite directions and one ofthem outwardly oii'se substantially in entirety a greaterexten't thatthe other to dispose the threadengaging edges thereof at the properpitch for, filreadsd engagement with a bolt, screw or the e. The primaryobject of the present, invention is to provide a resilient self-lockingsheet metal nut of the character described in whichopposite inclinationand relative oil'setting of all, or substantially all, of the two sideby side bolt-gripe ping portions such as=heretofore required are offsetportions are of substantially'equal outward extent and length andsubstantially parallel to one another and to the resilient plate-likebase or body oftthe nut except for relatively small areas immediatelyadjacent the opposed edge portions'which form a bolt-receiving openingthrough the nut, only these small areas being distorted so that saidedge portions are disposed at the proper helix angle to threadedlyengage with such other objects and advantages as may subsequentlyappear, the invention residesin the parts and in the combination,construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed,and illustrated byway of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

eliminated except for a simple distortion of but a small area of eachbolt-engaging portion at a Another object is to provide a nut such asdescribed which provides between the body thereof and the bridge membersa space through which a member may be inserted for supporting the nut orin order to be supported by the nut, with provision for clamping the nutagainst said member when the bridge portions are bowed inwardly upontightening the nut.

Another-object of this invention is to provide a nut such as describedin which the outwardly Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the nut;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a nut embodying the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top planview of a modified form of nut as when applied-to abolt which latter is shown in cross section, to illustrate how the nutFig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view show 1 ing a particularapplication of the nut, the nut being shown in dotted lines.

It will be seen with reference to the accom'-' panying drawing that anut embodying the present invention is made of plate-like resilientsheet metal body or base 6 from between the margins of which twoelongated bridge portions 1 and I are struck or stamped so as to lieside by side for the most part in substantially parallel relation to oneanother and the body. Thescbridge portions have substantially an equallength and outward extent, there being a slit or cut I separating saidportions along their adjacent side edges. and other slits or cuts IIIand II separating the outer side edges of said members from the body 6.The opposed side edges ofthe bridge portions 1 and -l atpointsintermediate the ends thereof inwardly to enhance this wedgingaction.

the nut in place. ;Theopening 20 registers with are'notched to providearcuate edge portions I2 88 wn n F 1, 2 and 3 forming a bolt-receivingopening. a In Fig. 4 these notches are such as to form angularly relatedbolt-engaging edge portions l3 defining a "square" bolt hole,.thusillustrating that the bolt-engaging edge portions may be variouslyshaped as within the purview of the invention. a

As shown inFlg. l the bridge portions 1 and- 8 are twisted or distortedonly at the small areas thereof which are arcuately contiguous to theedge portions I: so that the latter have a substantially helicaldisposition, or in other words, are pitched tohave'threaded engagementwith the threads of a bolt or screw such as the bolt ll shown-in Fig. 5.These distorted areas are designated A and B in Fig. 1 which bestillustrates shown in Fig. 6, themember (hook l9) between the body 8 andthe bridge portions will be clamped and held thereby when the bridgeportions are bowed inwardly. I

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of my invention 1-do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set fortlrandthe invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents ofthe parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purviewof the appended claims.

the scope of such areas and shows that the major portions of the bridgeportions 1 and Bare planar and of equal height and outward extent aswell as length and width.

As shown in Fig. 5 the bolt I4 is inserted through members l5 and I6which are to be se-.

cured together when the'bolt and nut are tightened. The two arch orbridge portions 1' and 8 will bow inwardly when the nut and bolt aretight and therefore cause the =he1ically pitched edge portions I! (orIt) to have a resilient wedging' suring that the bridge portions willafford a pronounced and uniformly applied spring action; so

that as the nut and bolt are tightened the helically pitched edges I!will be yieldingly wedged a ainst the threads of the bolt, the bridgeportion's being somewhat twistedas they are bowed Furthermore, theequally offset bridge portions give to the nut a shape making itpossible to eifectively use a wrench'for tightening the 'nut.

I claim:

.1'. In a nut. a plate-like sheet metalbody, elongated resilientportions integral with said body and disposed in side by side relationto one an-' other and in 'substantially equally outwardly offsetrelation to said body, and complementaryedge portions formed between theends ofthe adjacent side edges of said resilient portions so as todefine an opening for a screw threaded fastening, said complementaryedge portions and only the relatively small areas oisaid resilientportions contiguous said edge portions being distorted to angularlydispose said edge portions for a screw threaded engagement with a screwthreaded fastening turned in said opening. a 2. In a nut, a plate-likesheet metal body, elongated resilient portions integral with said bodysand disposed. in side by side'relation to one another and insubstantially equally outwardly offset relation to said body,and-complementary edge portions formed between the ends of the adjacentside edges of said resilient portions flne an opening for a screwthreaded fastening,

There is provided considerable space as will be apparent in Fig. 2,between the body 8 and the bridge portions 1 and 8. This space willaccommodate an element which is to be supported or which is adapted tosupport the nut. As shown in Fig. 6 if a' panel such as the one I8 isformed ,with an outwardly struckhook l9. having an .opening, 28 therein,a hook made in accordance with my invention and here designated 2| andshown in dotted lines maybe held in place by the book when the latterisinserted through the space between the bridge portions and the body.

with the nut thus supported on panel l8 said panel may be secured toanother member in the same manner as members l5 and I6 and securedtogether without requiring that the operator hold the one s ough the nutand the opening through e panel formed. in striking out the hook,-openingio-being largeenough to allow the distorted areas around edges I!to be depressed or forced inwardly. The bridge: portions are free saidcomplementary edge portions and only the relatively small areas of saidresilient portions contiguous said edge portions being distorted toangularly disposed said edge portions for a screw threaded engagementwith a screw threaded fastening turned in said opening, said elongatedresilient portions being disposed for the most part iii substantiallythe same plane and located in iggardly spaced relation to the margins ofsaid 3. In a stamped sheet metal nut, a body and resilient bridgeportions disposedside byside with their ends in integral formation withsaid body, saidbridge portions being for, the most part of equallyoutwardly offset relation to the plane of the body and aving notchedside edges defining edge portions adapted to threadedly eng e 'a screwthreaded fastening turned therebetween, said edge portions and onlyrelatively small areas of the bridge portions contiguous said edgeportions. being' oppositely inclined and relatively positioned so thatsaid edge portions will threadedly engage said fastening. 4. In a nut, aplate-like sheet metal body, elongated resilient portions integral withsaid body and disposed in side by'side relation to one another and insubstantially equally outwardly oiiset relation to said body, andcomplementary edge portionsfor'nmd between the ends of the adjacent sideedges .of said resilient portions so as to define an opening for a screwthreaded fastening, said complementary edge portions and portionscontiguous said edge portions being op posed so that said edge to yieldas there issprovided sufllcient spaceb sstween the hook I! and the bodyand bridge portions ifiarurseeemn edate the yieldin of the[-biidsemrtiona H Upon the tightening of the nut artanged as only therelatively smallv areas of saidresilient positely inclined and 'di'sportions are, helical] tched for threaded en- Basement with said screwthreaded fastening.

5. In a stamped sheet :metal nut, a body and resilient bridge portions"disposed side by side with their ends in integral formation with saidfor the most part u assess:

of equally outwardly onset relation to the plane of the body and-havingnotched side edges defining edge portions adapted to threadediy eng e ascrew threaded fastening turned there-v between, said edge portions andonly relatively small areas of the bridge portions contiguius said edgeportions being oppositely inclined and relatively positioned so thatsaid edge portions will threadedly engage said iastening, said bridgeportions being subject in entirety to being bowed inwardlyupon thetightening of the nut.

8. In a stamped sheet metal nut,-a body and resilient bridge portionsdisposed side by side with their ends in integral formation with saidbody,

said bridge portionsbeing tor the most part of equallyoutwardly oii'setrelation to the planeo! the body and having notchedside edges donningedge portions adapted to threadedlyifill de a screw threaded fasteningturned therebetween, saidedge portions and only -relatively sniall areasof the bridge portions contiguous said edge portions being oppositelyinclined and relatively positloned so that said edge portionswill-threadedly engage said fastening, said bridge pottifons and bodybeing so constructed andarranged that a member may be insertedtherebetween subject to a being clamped and held thereby.

, KARO LD J. LE

